By: Clark Johnson | WV Sports Chat
Morgantown, WV – Last Saturday, the West Virginia Mountaineers took down the 25th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers in Charlotte, North Carolina, 38-27. This marked the first time since the 2018 season that the Mountaineers have started a season with a 3-0 record. Heading into conference play, the program looks poised to be among the breakouts of the Big 12.
Today, we’re going to take a look back at the victory over the Cavaliers and give our FIVE OVERREACTIONS to the outcome.
- Michael Hawkins is legit – After spending the offseason lobbying for Scotty Fox at starting quarterback, I am now proudly admitting that I was wrong. Oklahoma transfer Michael Hawkins is the real deal. If he can stay healthy, Hawkins could easily have the Mountaineers in Big 12 contention come November. We are in for a fun season offensively – and the best quarterback play since Will Grier.
- How about that defense?: It was a rough start for the offense on Saturday. Despite getting gashed early, Zac Alley’s unit tightened up in the second half, making life miserable for Beau Pribula and company. The verdict is still out on just how well the WVU defense will perform this season. However, if they can continue this level of play, the sky is the limit for this program.
- DJ Epps is WVU’s first real downfield threat in years – Troy transfer DJ Epps is averaging 30 yards per catch for the Mountaineers in 2026. No, that is not a typo. An under the radar signing for the Mountaineers, Epps has given the Mountaineers their first real downfield threat since the Dana Holgorsen days. Should the running game falter at any point, the opposing defense will have yet another headache to deal with.
- Cam Cook’s load in this offense is concerning – In two out of three games this season, Jacksonville State transfer Cam Cook has tallied 30 carries. Yes, Rich Rodriguez says he doesn’t care about how many carries a single player gets. While that is admirable, that is also risky. Those carries will eventually take their toll and result in an injury. If Rodriguez wants to give his team a chance later in the season, he needs to find a way to give some of that weight to Amari Latimer and the rest of the running back room. Will he, though? That remains to be seen.
- Rich Rodriguez was the right hire – Depending on who you ask, this was never in question. For me, I was always afraid to be completely bought in until the product on the field matched the excitement. Well, that excitement lived up to the bill on Saturday. Making the move from Neal Brown to Rich Rodriguez was exactly the culture change that the WVU Football program needed. Wren Baker and the athletic department will reap the rewards of this change for years to come. Rich Rodriguez is the perfect man to lead the Mountaineers.
(Photo by WVU Athletics)
